One segment of the computer industry prepares microelectric wires, or microwires, having a predetermined length of, for example, three inches and a diameter in the range of 0.001 to 0.002 inches, for installation by another segment of the computer industry in the hard drive systems of computers.
Each of the microwires is insulated by a thin enamel coating. A specific length of insulation is stripped from at least one end of each microwire before twisting two or more of the microwires together to form a microwire electrical conductor with two or more strands (herein called microelectric wires).
The microelectric wires are cut to precise predetermined lengths and corresponding ends of the wires are attached to a printed circuit board or test board (generally known in the industry as a paddleboard) before being packaged for shipment to a member of that segment of the computer industry that installs the microelectric wires in the hard drive systems of computers, or other desired environment.
The paddleboards are miniature printed circuit boards of three ply construction. An upper layer comprises two or more spaced strips of tin/lead solder laminated to an intermediate layer defined by a like number of strips of a copper substrate which is, in turn, laminated to a non-conductive base or bottom layer, preferably formed from epoxy resin-bonded cellulosic board. The strips of tin/lead solder are soldered to corresponding ends of the strands of a microelectric wire to form an electric connection.
The paddleboards, with a microelectric wire attached to each board, have heretofore been packaged for shipment by first arranging a plurality of the paddleboards (twenty, for example) in a row with the paddleboards in juxtaposition to each other and holding the paddleboards in place with a strip of adhesive tape attached to the backs of the juxtaposed paddleboards. The adhesive tape is fastened, as by staples, to a suitable base, such as a stiff sheet of paperboard measuring approximately four by six inches. A second sheet of correspondingly sized paperboard is used to cover the paddleboard and protect the microelectric wires. The two juxtaposed sheets of paperboard are held together, with the paddleboard and wires sandwiched between them, as by rubber bands, to complete the prior art package.
It is known to practitioners of the art that a residue of adhesive from the adhesive tape used in the prior art package undesirably remains on the backs of the paddleboards when they are removed from the package. This residue of adhesive is objectionable because it often causes the paddleboard to become accidentally stuck to something, disrupting the normal flow of work with a consequent loss of production.
When a paddleboard is placed in the test block for testing of the electric circuit, a portion of the adhesive residue on the back of the paddleboard is transferred to the test block. After a plurality of paddleboards have been tested in the test block, there is an undesirable accumulation of adhesive in the test block, which interferes with its satisfactory use.